Transcript of The Promise of Early Childhood Education: Preventing Health and Learning Disparities Portia Kennel...
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- The Promise of Early Childhood Education: Preventing Health and
Learning Disparities Portia Kennel Senior Vice President, Ounce of
Prevention Fund June 4, 2013 19 th National Health Equity Research
Webcast University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
www.minority.unc.edu/institute/2013/
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- The State of Minority Childrens Health Low-income children have
higher rates of mortality and disability and are more likely to be
in fair or poor health. Black and Latino children are more likely
to be in poor health than White children. Children who are poor, of
color or uninsured are more likely to lack access to appropriate
health care. Source: National Institute for Health Care Management,
2007
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- Adverse experiences and toxic stress in early childhood
increase the likelihood for health risks, stress-related disease
and learning disparities throughout a childs life and into
adulthood.
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- Early experiences during critical periods of development build
the foundation for later learning and health.
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- The achievement gap starts well before Kindergarten 16 mos.24
mos.36 mos. Cumulative Vocabulary (Words) Professional Parents
Working Class Parents Welfare Parents Childs Age (Months) 200 600
1200 Source: Hart & Risley (1995) Disparities in early
vocabulary development
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- Rich learning environments linked to positive health outcomes
throughout life Comprehensive supports to families from prenatal to
age five Engage families in developing healthy behaviors for them
and their children Reduce stress-related roots of health
disparities Referrals and linkages to community resources for
medical and dental homes, developmental screenings, well-child
check ups and immunizations Early Childhood Education: Front Line
for Preventing Learning & Health Disparities
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- Educare Learning Network Vision Statement The Educare Learning
Network will demonstrate that research-based early childhood
education prevents the persistent achievement gap for our nations
most at-risk young children. The Networks evidence, practice
expertise, and dynamic partnerships will help ensure that all
children and families, especially those at greatest risk, will have
access to effective early learning, and that the first five years
will be an integral part of the nations education system.
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- Educare is Partnership Place Program Platform for Change
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- 13 Core Features of the Educare Model Provide full-day,
full-year services Use data collection and analysis to drive
quality and ensure student success Maintain Small Class Size &
High Staff/Child Ratios 3:8 for 0-3 3:17 for 3-5 Maintain High
Staff Qualifications & Intensive Staff Development Provide
Continuity of Care to help children develop secure relationships
On-site Family Support & Strong Parent Engagement Implement
Reflective Practice & Supervision Interdisciplinary Work
Language & Literacy Social and Emotional Development Numeracy
& Problem-Solving Integrating the Arts Start Early: Emphasize
Prenatal Services
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- Framework for the Core Features Data Utilization Embedded
Professional Development High Quality Teaching Practices Intensive
Family Engagement Dosage: Duration and Intensity
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- Educare Theory of Change
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- Educare Child Racial/Ethnic Demographics (201112)
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- Educare Child Demographic Characteristics (201112) 47% girls,
53% boys 97% of children were born in US 11% have a special need as
identified by an IEP/IFSP 78% reported to have very good or
excellent health
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- Educare Child Home Language (201112)
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- Educare Parent Demographic Characteristics (201112) Similar to
Head Start nationally (using FACES data for comparison) Primary
caregiver: 92% Mom; 3% Dad; 3% Grandma 20% of moms were teens when
child was born 48% are a single parent 66% were born in the
U.S.
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- Educare Parent Employment Status (201112)
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- Educare Parent Educational Attainment (201112)
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- Serious Life Events & Risk Factors (201112) Substantial
change in income 38.6% Major change in living conditions 31.9%
Change in primary caregivers work 29.1% Separate from partner 22.5%
Family member incarcerated 15.3% Death of someone important in
childs life 13.5% Family member had serious illness 12.5% Family
member victim of violent crime 6.3% Child was witness to domestic
violence 5.1% Lived with someone with alcohol/drug problem 4.9%
Parent screen positive for depression 18% Sometimes or often worry
about food running out 39%
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- How Educare Schools Promote Health & Learning Head Start
Standards Partnerships with community health providers Medical home
Developmental screenings Immunizations Well-Child check ups
Connections to WIC/SNAP supports Access to and provide child &
family mental health services Screening, access and referral for
disability services Health clinics at Educare Schools in Arizona,
Kansas City and Milwaukee Parent classes on nutrition, healthy
cooking and exercise Parent-child activities focused on health
& nutrition
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- School Readiness Language/Vocabulary Social and Emotional
Skills Classroom Quality Educare: Demonstrating Results
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- English Bracken scores of kindergarten-bound children, by age
of entry into Educare (all sites), 2007-11 School Readiness: Early
Entry Matters Educare children emerge prepared for Kindergarten
National Mean =100
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- Long-term Health Outcomes of Early Childhood Intervention
Abecedarian Study Better health outcomes in adulthood Healthier
lifestyle behaviors in adulthood
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- Call to Action High quality early childhood programs can
prevent learning disparities and promote better health outcomes in
adulthood Start early with prenatal care for mothers and high
quality programs for children beginning at birth Invest in
innovative health and nutrition services for early childhood
programs Build and maintain community partnerships that support
childrens health and learning Increase coordination between early
childhood and health care systems
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- www.ounceofprevention.orgwww.educareschools.org
pkennel@educarenetwork.org
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- Educare 13 Core Features
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- Full Day, Full Year Birth to Five--Start Early
Dosage/Sustaining Gains Meet the needs of families who are working
or in school Typical hours of operation: 7am-6pm Importance of
Early Entry
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- Data Utilization Research-based strategies Data driven
practices Network level School level Individual children and
families
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- Maintain Small Class Size & High Staff/Child Ratios
Infant-toddler rooms -- 3 adults : 8 children Preschool rooms -- 3
adults : 17 children
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- Maintain High Staff Qualifications & Intensive Staff
Development In each classroom: Teacher Assistant Teacher Teacher
Aide Family Support Supervisor & Family Support Specialists All
staff have individual professional development plans & is a
priority for the program Variety of partnerships to enhance PD
offerings
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- Provide Continuity of Care to Help Children Develop Secure
Relationships Children remain with same teaching team: From entry
until transition to 3-5 & from 3-5 until kindergarten Same Age
or Mixed Age Primary Caregiving
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- On-site Family Support & Strong Parent Engagement Family
support staff have a specific & intentional role in supporting
3 overarching principles: 1. The parent-child relationship 2. The
parents role in their childs development, health, & learning 3.
The parents role in their childs school experiences
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- Reflective Practice & Supervision Reflective Practice as an
organizational model Program design & management support the
integration of reflective practice & supervision throughout
Educare Supervisors have no more than 6 supervisees Regular
Individual and Group Reflective Supervision
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- Interdisciplinary Work Seeing the child in the context of
family through a collaborative process Strategies for staff to
understand the importance of multiple perspectives An
interdisciplinary team conducts Family/Child Reviews (FCRs)
regularly in order to discuss & understand each child in
context of family & community Use of specialized, integrated
consultants
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- Language & Literacy Focus on oral language development
Focus on children as readers and authors Print-rich environment
Intentional use of the focused teaching cycle
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- Social and Emotional Development Focus on Relationships Social,
Emotional and Executive Function skills taught Supporting
Transitions into, within, and out of Educare Proactive and positive
child guidance Integration of Mental Health Consultation
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- Foundational Math Skills Focus on numeracy &
problem-solving Hands-on materials to promote the understanding of
abstract math concepts Intentional use of the focused teaching
cycle
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- Integrate the Arts Arts include: drama, dance, music,
story-telling & visual arts Art experiences included in all
curricular areas to strengthen all domains of development &
learning Intentional use of the focused teaching cycle Community
artists performances & in- residence Activities for parents,
families, & staff
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- Emphasize Prenatal Services Provide supportive, caring and
educational experiences and services to pregnant women and newborns
Provide seamless transitions from prenatal to Educare program
Referrals through Community Collaborations